# Epic Handshake > Epic Handshake is an object-labeling meme template from 1987's *Predator*, featuring a watercolor painting of Schwarzenegger and Weathers' arm-wrestling, used to illustrate surprising agreements between opposing groups. The Epic Handshake is an object-labeling meme based on a scene from the 1987 action film *Predator*, where Arnold Schwarzenegger and Carl Weathers lock hands in an exaggerated arm-wrestling handshake. After years as a YouTube remix favorite, a watercolor painting of the scene became one of the internet's go-to templates for illustrating unlikely agreement between two opposing groups. The format labels each arm with a different entity and the clasped hands with whatever they share in common. ## Origin The handshake scene comes from the opening minutes of *Predator* (1987), directed by John McTiernan. Arnold Schwarzenegger's character Dutch spots his old friend Dillon (played by Carl Weathers) and greets him with "Dillon! You son of a bitch," followed by a handshake that immediately escalates into a flexing arm-wrestling contest[4]. The camera lingers on their straining biceps in a way that's pure 1980s action-movie excess[3]. On August 25, 2007, YouTuber kreshjun (credited as Kristian Odland in some sources) uploaded "A Tribute to The Handshake in Predator," a shot-for-shot live-action reenactment that kept the original audio[4]. The video picked up over 370,000 views and 1,000 comments over the following six years[4]. The Daily Dot identified this as the moment the scene started its second life online[3]. - **Platform:** *Predator* film (source scene), YouTube (early remixes), Reddit / Twitter (object-labeling format) - **Creator:** Rory Dean (watercolor painting used as template), MILOSLAVvonRANDA (chalk drawing variant), kreshjun (first YouTube tribute) - **Date:** 1987 (film scene), 2007 (first YouTube tribute), 2018 (object-labeling format breakout) ## Overview The Epic Handshake meme uses an image of two muscular arms clasped together in a firm handshake. Text labels are placed on each arm (representing two different groups, people, or ideas) and on the clasped hands in the center (representing something they agree on or have in common)[1]. The format works like a visual Venn diagram: two separate, often opposing circles that overlap on one specific point[8]. The humor comes from pairing groups that normally have nothing to do with each other and finding one absurd or unexpected thing they both agree on. A classic example: "Anti-vax moms" and "Responsible bartenders" shaking on "Not giving shots to kids"[1]. The bulging biceps from the original film scene add to the joke, implying both sides hold their positions with extreme conviction[8]. ## How It Spread The YouTube remix era kicked off on September 28, 2008, when BeefMcDoogle uploaded a version set to Paul Engemann's 1983 track "Push it to the Limit," pulling in over 195,000 views[4]. A Spanish-language version from jotoOAK followed on April 30, 2009, with 199,000 views[4]. Things escalated in 2010 and 2011. On October 23, 2010, ImKyserSoze posted a parody where the handshake triggers a nuclear explosion (using footage from the 2009 film *2012*), which hit 420,000 views[4]. A Guile's Theme remix from itsybitsy113 landed 300,000 views and 650 comments[4]. On February 2, 2011, ArnoTrek uploaded a version where Dutch and Dillon just fart at each other, good for 280,000 views[3]. A pixel art rendition from NightmareCinemas followed on October 4, 2012[4]. The meme's second act began with fan art. On May 5, 2012, Flickr user thisisrorydean (Rory Dean) uploaded a watercolor painting of the handshake[4]. On September 6 of the same year, DeviantArt user MILOSLAVvonRANDA posted a chalk drawing titled "EPIC handshake by Dillon and Dutch"[10]. The chalk version became the primary template for the object-labeling format that would take over years later[4]. Around 2017-2018, Reddit and Twitter users started slapping text labels onto the artwork, turning it into the three-part object-labeling meme that most people recognize today[7]. Subreddits like r/memes and r/dankmemes hosted thousands of adaptations[9]. The format spread rapidly to Instagram, Facebook, and eventually TikTok in 2019[7]. Meme generator sites like Imgflip and Kapwing made it easy for anyone to create their own version without image editing skills[8]. ## How to Use The Epic Handshake follows a simple three-label format: 1. **Left arm** — Label with the first group, person, or concept 2. **Right arm** — Label with the second group (typically one that seems unrelated to the first) 3. **Clasped hands** — Label with the one thing both sides share or agree on ## Cultural Impact The Epic Handshake crossed over from meme communities into mainstream social media use by the late 2010s. Brands adopted the format for marketing campaigns, leveraging its recognizability to make corporate messaging feel more approachable[6]. The template worked particularly well for brand accounts because it communicated collaboration without requiring much context[9]. The meme also found use as a tool for political and social commentary. Its structure naturally lends itself to pointing out hypocrisy or shared-but-unspoken truths between opposing groups[8]. Reddit's r/PoliticalHumor and similar communities used it frequently to highlight bipartisan absurdities[9]. Merchandise featuring the handshake image appeared on T-shirts, posters, and mugs[9]. The format was referenced in discussions of meme culture in educational and media analysis contexts, often cited as a prime example of the object-labeling meme genre[6]. ## Fun Facts - The original *Predator* scene wasn't meant to be funny. It was a straightforward action-movie greeting between two alpha characters, but the extreme close-ups on bulging biceps made it impossible for the internet to take seriously[3]. - Rory Dean's 2012 watercolor was posted to Flickr as a genuine art piece, not as a meme template. The internet had other plans[4]. - The Daily Dot article covering the meme's resurgence noted that the handshake scene isn't even in the top three most memorable moments from *Predator*, ranking below "Get to the choppa," the jungle minigun scene, and "One ugly motherf**ker"[3]. - A Dutch soccer player created his own series of epic handshakes in 2015, an unintentional nod to Schwarzenegger's character name in the film[3]. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is the Epic Handshake meme? It's an object-labeling meme based on a muscular handshake scene from the 1987 film *Predator*. Two arms are labeled with different groups and the clasped hands are labeled with something they agree on[1]. ### Where did the Epic Handshake come from? The original scene is from *Predator* (1987), featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Carl Weathers. It became a meme through YouTube remixes starting in 2007 and then an object-labeling format around 2017-2018[4]. ### What does the Epic Handshake mean? It represents two normally unrelated or opposing groups finding unexpected common ground on a single, often absurd point[8]. ### How do you use the Epic Handshake meme? Label the left arm with one group, the right arm with another, and the clasped hands with whatever they surprisingly share. The bigger the contrast between the two sides, the funnier the result[1]. ### Is the Epic Handshake still popular? The format saw its biggest surge around 2017-2019 across Reddit, Twitter, and Instagram. It's still widely recognized and used, though less frequently than during its peak years[7]. ### Who are the two people in the Epic Handshake? Arnold Schwarzenegger (as Dutch) and Carl Weathers (as Dillon) in the 1987 film *Predator*[4]. ### What movie is the Epic Handshake from? *Predator* (1987), directed by John McTiernan. The scene occurs early in the film when Dutch reunites with his old friend Dillon[5]. ### Who painted the Epic Handshake meme template? The most commonly used templates are a watercolor by Rory Dean (uploaded to Flickr on May 5, 2012) and a chalk drawing by DeviantArt user MILOSLAVvonRANDA[4]. ### Why is it called the "Predator Handshake"? Because it comes from the film *Predator*. The alternative name stuck because the handshake scene is one of the movie's most recognizable moments[7]. ### What was the first Epic Handshake YouTube video? A shot-for-shot reenactment titled "A Tribute to The Handshake in Predator" by YouTuber kreshjun (Kristian Odland), uploaded on August 25, 2007[3]. ## References 1. [Epic Handshake meme — Kapwing]() 2. [Epic Handshake Meme Generator - Piñata Farms - The best meme generator and meme maker for video & image memes]() 3. [The Epic Handshake from 'Predator' is Back—And It's an Object-Labeling Meme]() 4. [Epic Handshake - Know Your Meme]() 5. [Predator (film)]() 6. [Create a Epic Handshake Meme | Meme Generator]() 7. [Epic Handshake – Meaning, Origin, Usage]() 8. [The Meaning of the Epic Handshake Meme Explained]() 9. [The evolution and impact of the handshake meme | Speechify]() 10. [Epic Handshake - Memaverse]() 11. [EPIC handshake by Dillon and Dutch by MILOSLAVvonRANDA on DeviantArt]() 12. [What Is The “Epic Handshake” Meme? Origin, Meaning & Why It’s The Internet’s Favorite Alliance Format]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/epic-handshake Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library